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West Silvertown Online |
Current Developments |
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DLR Extension Opens - more information |
This page outlines the various large developments under way, or planned, in or near West Silvertown which might have an impact on local residentsSilvertown QuaysOn 2nd May 2007 it was announced that this £1.5 billion development had finally received the green light from the London Borough of Newham following the confirmation of planning approval and the completion of legal and funding agreements by the developer Silvertown Quays Ltd (SQL), the special purpose company selected to develop the site following an international competition by the site's owner, the London Development Agency, in October 2002. . The 24 hectares (59 acres) Silvertown Quays site is bounded by (and includes part of) the Royal Victoria Dock to the north, Mill Road to the west, North Woolwich Road to the south and Connaught Bridge Road to the east. Billed as one of Europe 's largest regeneration projects the development will include 5,000 new homes (including over 1,300 affordable units), 7,800 sq m of office space, 7,600 sq m of flexible workspace, 8,000 sq m of community facilities, 5,570 sq m of restaurants and bars and 18,925 sq m of leisure facilities including the aquarium project known as Biota! which is being developed by KUD International with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). Development will commence with the refurbishment of the Millennium Mills which will be converted into apartments and Biota! The rest of the project will proceed in phases over the next 10 years and will also include the refurbishment of listed grain building Silo D. The Section 106 planning agreement with the London Borough of Newham provides for the Biota! project and a contribution of £25 million towards the cost of infrastructure and local community benefits including a multi-use community centre, a modern library, a major new health centre and a primary school with nursery facilities. There will also be new public open spaces and landscaping, better pedestrian, bus and cycle routes and a new pedestrian bridge across the North Woolwich Road to the new Docklands Light Railway station, which will be subject to an early architectural competition.There will also be high quality restaurants and retail units in what will become a "lively town centre".
Over £1m has been committed for training local people. It is expected that upwards of 2,000 jobs will be created with 25 per cent earmarked for Newham residents along with 25 percent of the construction jobs. Ten per cent of the construction jobs will be apprenticeships. The developers have secured a £119m loan facility from the Bank of Scotland which will be used to finance the development. New generation aquarium - Biota!Speaking about the Biota! project Ralph Armond, Director General of ZSL said it would "give its visitors a unique experience and inspire them about the aquatic world.” The 14, 500 sq m aquarium was designed by one of the UK 's leading architects, Terry Farrell & Partners. It will present the global diversity of aquatic life through "four strongly contrasting biomes recreating complete ecosystems with plants, fish, free flying birds, mammals and other animals". The building is arranged around a central atrium and the first floor houses the open ocean and coral reef exhibits with day-lit biomes on the upper floors. The exhibit areas represent diverse world habitats – the Amazon, the British Isles, the Indo-Pacific, and the Atlantic Ocean . The fifth exhibit area, ‘Living Conservation', focuses on protecting aquatic species and their habitats - the underlying message of Biota! As well as being a centre of excellence for aquatic conservation, Biota! will also be a centre of scientific research and education. Breeding programmes for critically endangered species are just one of the many projects to be undertaken at Biota! and therse will be linked to others in the UK and around the world including: Project Seahorse (Philippines), Mamirauá Reserve Biodiversity Project (Brazilian Amazon) and the Cabo Delgado sustainable ecotourism project (Mozambique). The Section 106 planning agreement provides for 12,000 free Biota! visits each year for Newham school children and an outreach programme in schools, modern apprenticeships and work experience places. There will be bursary support for students studying marine biology or a related subject at university. Detailed Planning PermissionIn November 2007 the developer submitted an application for detailed planning permission for Biota! and the accompanying public realm (designed by Patel Taylor) and it was announced that detailed design work on the building had commenced. An application for detailed planning permission was also submitted for the infrastructure elements of the development.
A pedestrian bridge forms a crucial part of the Biota! area and sits at an important threshold. It will cross North Woolwich Road, linking the Thames Barrier Park and the new Pontoon Dock DLR station on the south side, with Biota! and further mixed-use development around the Dock. The contract to design the bridge was awarded following a competition. The jury included Silvertown Quays Limited, the London Development Agency and the London Borough of Newham with key advice from Design for London and masterplanners Urban Strategies Inc. For more information see the SQL press release Venture XtremeOn 17th September 2007 SQL released conceptual images of Venture Xtreme, which is billed as a unique surf centre and extreme sports complex, the first project of its kind in the world, designed by Baca Architects. The surf centre is a conceptual project which may form part of the visitor attraction area at Silvertown Quays. If it does go ahead the surf centre will be located alongside the aquarium Biota! and will include London 's largest permanent outside beach and a surf pool with perfect waves all day every day!
The surf pool would form the centre of th outdoor experience, built into the existing dock. A giant 9m high wave tank would double as a climbing wall and TV screen. Adjustable ‘crane' lighting rigs would illuminate the surf pool and the ‘silver sand' beach. A beach bar, floating bistro, sports shops, and the indoor Venture Xtreme centre would complete the project. The Silvertown surf centre would offer perfect surf waves 365 days a year. The finger docks in front and to the left of Biota! would be opened up to create the UK 's first artificial surf experience. A specially designed enclosure, holding almost 7,000 cubic metres of clean, filtered and heated water would form the basis of this environment. Waves up to 1.8m high would roll 100 metres down the dock, before breaking on London 's first ‘silver sand' beach in front of Biota! and a major public space known as the ‘Esplanade'. The perfect white sand beach would be 100m wide and up to 25m from front to back, giving enough space for over 200 swimmers, sunbathers and surfers. In the evenings it would be possible to rent fire pits for larger groups and barbeque areas as well as to just chill out on the beach with a drink from the bar. Beach bars, hammocks, palm trees and board walks would all add to the atmosphere. A themed rock effect climbing wall, of 24m wide, 9 m deep and up to 12 m high, would be the largest outdoor wall in the country and offer over 50 climbing routes. On the front elevation, facing the beach and boardwalk would be a giant LED screen of over 100 square metres. In the second phase of the Silvertown development, the lower floors of the major dockside site, immediately to the East of the aquarium, would house London's first extreme sports complex, complementing the surf centre in the dock and providing year round adventure facilities for the local residents, Londoners and those further a field. Included would be an indoor wave rider, a climbing wall, a scuba dive tank, ropes course, - ice climbing wall, - children's snow room and an ice bar Employment Charter, a Jobs and Business StrategyThe Section 106 agreement relating to this development requires Silvertown Quays Limited to develop a Silvertown Quays Employment Charter, and also a Jobs and Business strategy for the development, setting out policies and initiatives to improve training, business and employment opportunities within Newham and to assist local people in securing employment at Silvertown Quays. These initiatives were launched at the Thames Gateway Forum on 28th November 2007. More than £1m has been committed for training local people with an estimated 2,000 jobs being created with 25 per cent guaranteed to Newham residents plus 25 percent of construction jobs, with 10 per cent being apprenticeships. Also on 28th November the developers highlighted their community work with the local Royal Docks Community School; a group of pupils from years 8 and 9 produced a newsletter for young people by young people featuring the Silvertown Quays development. In the picture: (Left to Right – Back Row) David Taylor, Chairman, Silvertown Quays Limited, Sir Robin Wales, Mayor of Newham, Cllr Alec Kellaway and the Mayor's Operational Executive Adviser on Business Partnerships and Skills, Karyn Awotwi, Royal Docks Community School, Cllr Conor McAuley, Mayor of Newham's Executive Adviser for Regeneration, Andrew Ross, Deputy Head, Royal Docks Community School, Lesley Giddins, Silvertown Quays Limited. More Information:There is more detailed information about the application on the LDA's website First point of contact at Silvertown Quays Limited is Zoe Milne on 020 7292 0420 or e-mail: zoe.milne@sql.uk.com Click here for the SQL website. 
Olympic Games 2012On 6th July 2005 the International Olympic Committee chose London as the venue for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  The Olympic facilities in Newham are to be provided mostly on a 237 hectare site in the Lower Lea Valley close to Stratford. They include the main Olympic Stadium, an Aquatics Centre, Velodrome, Olympic Village, Hockey Stadium and International Press Centre. Three coach drop-off areas to the north, south and west of the site are also proposed as well as a ramp leading from West Ham Station. The area is presently occupied by a variety of commercial, residential, social and industrial uses as well as by waterways, vacant land and open spaces. A company called LOCOG – the London Organising Committee for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games – is being set up to organise, publicise and stage the 2012 Games. A separate Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is also to be created by the London Olympics Bill which is currently going through Parliament. The ODA will be fully accountable to the Government and the Mayor for managing the public money that will be spent on getting the venues and infrastructure ready well in time for 2012. Planning work associated with the bid started in 2003 when there was a period of consultation centred on a number of Olympic planning applications drawn up by the London Development Agency (LDA) and submitted in January 2004 to the Boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Waltham Forest. The consultations included exhibitions and discussion workshops across the East End including a session at Britannia Village Hall on 15th November 2003, attended by a number of Villagers, which embraced a focused discussion on transport issues. In September 2004 the Planning Committees of the four Boroughs approved the planning applications in outline and works is now in progress on the details. More InformationThe Joint Planning Team which considered the Olympic Planning applications have a website which includes a wealth of detail including the reports and recommendations on which the decisions were based. Other sites worth a visit are those of the London Development Agency and Lower Lea Regeneration as well as London 2012 which is the official website for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Minoco Wharf
After Shell UK took over Gulf Oil (UK) Limited in 1997 the decision was taken - in spite of a £5m refit just completed - to decommission the Gulf Lubricants plant at Minoco Wharf and sell the 5.9 hectare site for development. This ended a long connection with oil production going back to 1896. The riverside site is sandwiched between the Barrier Point residential development to the east and the industrial units to the west. The site is currently owned by the developers Ballymore who acquired it from a consortium which who drew up a planning application for the site which did not find favour and it was withdrawn. In June 2006 Ballymore submitted an application for outline planning permission for a mixed development covering both Minoco Wharf and the adjoining Crescent Wharf. But in May 2007 this was withdrawn and in June 2007 a new one for a revised scheme was submitted. The new application can be seen in full on the London Borough of Newham's planning website under the application reference 07/01142/OUT. It is for a phased mixed development with residential, employment, retail and food and drink components along with community, health, education, cultural, assembly and leisure & recreational uses. There will be vehicular, pedestrian and cycle access from North Woolwich Road. There will also be a marina with lock access to river Thames. The scheme includes public realm, public open space and private amenity space, landscaping and a network of footways and cycleways including a riverside path. There is a full description in applicant's Development Specification which is among the documents available online as well as detailed plans of the scheme. On 2nd May 2008, Ballymore, the developer of this important site, sent in amendments to the application. The amendments, which follow detailed discussions with the Council's officers, would reduce the massing and height of much of the development and thus the floorspace and density. As a consquence of these changes the environment produced by the development would be improved. The amount of affordable housing remains unchaged at 35% and family housing will make up 30% of the total. The application is due to be considered by Newham's Development Control Committee on 2nd July 2008. The officers report on the application can be seen on the Council's website Although the site falls within Newham, the western half lies also within the boundary of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation. Thus, two identical applications for the whole site were submitted to Newham Council one of which will be determined by Newham Council and the other by the LTGDC. Until recently planning for the development of the site was inhibited because it was a "safeguarded wharf". This gave the Mayor of London the power to direct the refusal of planning applications. In January 2005, however, the Mayor recommended the Government to remove the safguarding of the wharf and this was accomplished in June that year. This has no doubt made it easier for Ballymore to plan the use of the site. More Information:The Newham planning officer dealing with this site is Sunil Sahadevan, tel: 020 8430 2000 Extn 22205 e-mail. sunil.sahadevan@newham.gov.uk 
Peruvian WharfThis development site, incorporating also Plaistow Wharf, was previously owned by Tate and Lyle for the storage and processing of sugar. They have now moved many of of their local operations to their Thames Refinery further east in Silvertown. The site was acquired for development in 1999 by Capital and Provident. The riverside part of the site is a "safeguarded wharf” and although there has been no port related activity there for many years the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, is insisting that any development should include a working wharf and this has been an issue affecting the development of the site for some time. Capital and Provident Application
In August 2005 new plans for the development of the whole of the 20 acre riverside site opposite Britannia Village - were lodged with Newham Council. The £300m mixed use scheme included:
The new plan thus included a covered wharf facility for both aggregates and cement products, with road access integrated within the development, as well as three separate berthing points, including a new passenger pier for riverboat services. This plan for the development of the site was aired at a public inquiry held in the Meridian Business Centre at London City Airport in May/July 2006. Having considered the report of the Inspector the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Ruth Kelly, refused the application in January 2007. Because of the importance of this decision we publish here the following documents:
Capital and Provident have been reviewing their options, taking into account the need to devote 9 acres of the site to an aggregates operation without the environmental protection they had built in to the earlier scheme. The first result of this review is a new planning application by their development partners Brett Aggregates. Brett AggregatesThe Brett Aggregates application was been submitted jointly with Capital and Provident. It provides for a facility which would ship-in already processed sand and gravel from Brett's existing aggregate processing terminal on the coast at Cliffe in north Kent. A copy of the Non-Techical Summary of the Application and Environmental Statement (.pdf 237kb) is attached. Brett Aggregates explained their plans to local residents at a public meeting in Britannia Village Hall on 9th October. The meeting included a detailed presentation covering all aspects of the facility and exactly how it would operate. Brett would import aggregate, cement and other powdered products to be stored and bagged at Peruvian Wharf either for use in the on-site production of ready mixed concrete and dry silo mortar, or for direct distribution to the local construction market and builders merchants. Sunny Crouch, on behalf of the landowners, explained that after a long legal battle they had to accept that only an aggregates use would be permitted on the riverside half of Peruvian Wharf – which has been specifically designated a ‘safeguarded wharf'. She explained that an alternative plan – by a company called Aggregates Industries (AI) – had already received planning permission for a facility which might potentially have a more damaging impact on the local community. The AI proposals would ship-in unwashed aggregates for processing directly at Peruvian Wharf. This can be a dirty and noisy business and would also be a 24 hour operation. Crucially for the community four key facts emerged about the Brett Group proposals:
Mike Courts of the Brett Group also promised to set up a community consultative group and provide the direct phone-number of the site manager so that any complaints could be dealt with promptly and directly. Following several questions, the meeting ended with expressions of support for the plans from those at the meeting as well as appreciation of the open approach to community consultation which was being taken. The application was considered by the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation at a meeting of its Planning Committee on Thursday, 8th November, 200. Copies of the officer's report on the application (.pdf 112kb), and its addendum (.pdf 63kb), considered at the meeting are attached. The Committee agreed to delegate to the Director of Planning authority to approve the application subject to referral to the GLA, additional responses to the points of clarification on the EIA and the conditions and s106 agreement as outlined in the report . Alternative ProposalsThere are two other schemes for the development at Plaistow Wharf/Peruvian Wharf :
Neither development includes community uses, housing or as many new employment opportunities as the C&P application. Because of this, and because it would generate unwlecome industrial traffic on local roads and noise, dust, odour and visual intrusion, the Foundation is opposed to both schemes and in fact it entered entered a formal objection in April 2006 - see letter (.pdf - 58kb). In May 2007 there was was a meeting with Newham planning officials to see where matters stood following the rejection of the C&P application and after the meeting the Foundation wrote again to reiterate it's opposition to the schemes and also to confirm what it sees as weaknesses in the Council’s consultation process. The letter urged both the LBN and the LTGDC "to work with Capital and Provident to identify an appropriate and beneficial use for the site". The application submitted by Aggregate Industries Limited (AI) was considered by the LTGDC's Planning Committee on 21st June 2007and planing permission was approved. A copy of the report considered at the meeting is attached. Permission was given subject to an added requirement on AI to provide details of the liaison committee with local residents and councillors which it is their normal practice to establish in such cases to deal with any issues before they "become significant". Such a committee will then become a requirement of the s106 planning agreement relating to the development. The Newham planning official responsible for Peruvian Wharf is Joanne Pacey, telephone Tel: 020 8430 2000 Ext. 22402. The officer responsible at LTGDC is Peter Minoletti, email: Peter.Minoletti@LTGDC.ORG.UK. His office is on the 9th Floor at South Quay Plaza 3, 189 Marsh Wall London E14 9SH (Tel: 020 7517 4730). Barrier Park EastBarrett is seeking planning pemission for this final phase of its development adjacent to the DLR, the Thames and the Thames Barrier Park. If approved the new development will comprise 939 new homes offering private, shared equity and social rented housing alongside retail and community amenities. This proposed development has stirred up a certain amount of controversy among local residents. DLR Airport Extension
Passenger services on this new branch of the Docklands Light Railway from Canning Town to London City Airport and North Woolwich (King George V) started on 2nd December 2005. There is a short description of the project on the website of the Airport's Consultative Committee and more detailed information on the DLR's website including some excellent photographs. There are more pictures on our Photogallery page taken during the construction of the railway and immediately after its opening. In the vicinity of West Silvertown the new line leaves the existing DLR Beckton branch south of Canning Town at ground level. Passing under the Lower Lea Crossing using an existing underpass it then rises up on an earth embankment to cross the Thames Wharf area on a viaduct and a further embankment. The route then remains on viaduct to the south of Dock Road and North Woolwich Road all the way to London City Airport.
The next station to the east is Pontoon Dock. It too is elevated and connected by stairs and lifts to a raised concourse feeding in directly with the footways through the Thames Barrier Park as well as down to street level. The station serves the Barrier Point and Tradewinds housing developments and has been designed to accommodate a new pedestrian link over North Woolwich Road to serve the Silvertown Quays development. Typical journey time from Pontoon Dock to Bank is 21 minutes and to Canary Wharf about 13 minutes. The DLR's Year One Monitoring Report shows that the new linet has brought huge environmental benefits with around 120,000 fewer taxi rides and 288,000 fewer car journeys having been necessary, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 156 tonnes. The report, compiled by Innovacion, a business support consultancy, showed that the new railway carried 4.2 million passengers - a very good total bearing in mind that it had been thought the new line would take three years to reach this figure. Of those passengers travelling to London City Airport 49 per cent had used the new service - the highest proportion carried by any airport rail link in the UK. And the extension has proved far more popular with local communities and business passengers than predicted. West Silvertown Station was used by 1 million passengers during the first year, i.e.nearly a quarter of passengers using the new line. Approval to extend this new line from North Woolwich under the Thames to Woolwich Arsenal was given by the Government in February 2004 and work started and new line in mid 2005. The scheme is expected to be operational by 2008. There is a short description of the project on the website of the Airport's Consultative Committee DLR Stratford International ExtensionOn 31st August 2005 the DLR submitted an application to the Department of Transport for an order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 authorising its Stratford International Extension project involving a new line running between Stratford International station (on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link) and the existing DLR station at Royal Victoria near Canning Town. 
Following a pubic inquiry in March/April 2006 the Secretary of State announced his approval of the project on 25th October 2006 along with his approval of the closure of the North London Line between Stratford and North Woolwich. The report of the public inquiry is also available on the Department's website. The new link will use the existing North London Line between Stratford (Low Level) and Royal Victoria and a new length of line will be built around the Stratford rail lands development to the International Station. The new line will serve existing the existing stations at Stratford, West Ham, Canning Town and Royal Victoria, which will be converted to Docklands Light Railway specifications with improved accessibility and step-free access. Four new, fully accessible, stations will be built at Star Lane, Abbey Road, Stratford High Street and Stratford International to serve existing and future communities. The Docklands Light Railway station at Stratford International will provide an important interchange with Eurostar services from the CTRL station, as well as linking up to the Stratford City development and the Olympic Park. A connection will be provided to the existing DLR Beckton line and the DLR London City Airport Extension which is now being further extended to Woolwich Arsenal. There are full details of the project on the DLR's website . This new line is being funded by Transport for London and the Olympic Delivery Authority, with the total value likely to exceed £200 million. The DLR has already started the process of selecting contractors to design and build the Stratford International Extension. The target completion date is the summer 2010. There are three contracts. The first of these, let in January 2007, provides for:
The second contract, awarded in May 2007 to Taylor Woodrow, involves the construction of a 'flying' junction at Canning Town station to allow Beckton services to cross over the Stratford International line. The third contract, let to Skanska in July 2007, provides for the conversion of the existing railway to DLR technology; the upgrading of existing stations to DLR standards; the construction of four new stations; and the formation of the new rail link between Stratford and Stratford International Train services on the North London Line south of Stratford came to an end on 10th December 2006. It is possible that the Connaught Tunnel and other parts of the North London Line to the south - will be required for the Crossrail project
 CrossrailOn 22 February 2005 the Secretary of State for for Transport announced in a press release that he had introduced the required hybrid Bill in Parliament. The Bill was subsequently carried over for consideration by the new Parliment elected in May 2005. A copy of the Bill and accompanying Explanatory Notes can be found on the UK Parliament's Website and on the DfT's website there is a note on the hybrid bill process to which the Bill will be subject. The Crossrail Bill completed its Report/Third Reading stage in the House of Commons on 13 December 2007, and was introduced into the House of Lords on 14 December 2007.
On 5th October 2007 the Government confirmed that the Crossrail project has the funding to go ahead. For more details see Crossrail Project Bulletin 10 (33kb) The expected cost of up to £16bn will be met by Government, businesses and farepayers. The Government will contribute £5bn. There is more information about the Crossrail project (and maps) on Crossrail's website. See also the website of the London City Airport Consultative Committee There is a proposal that the rest of the North London Line between Canning Town and Stratford should be transferred to the DLR for their Stratford International Extension project – see above. Silvertown LinkThis proposed road project is part of a package of three River Crossings now on the Mayor of London's agenda. It would link the Greenwich Peninsula with Silvertown and the Royal Docks. Running approximately at right angles to the Blackwall Tunnel it would pass just south of the Millenium Dome and cross the river to land on Thames Wharf where a toll plaza would be located. It has not yet been finally decided if the new crossing will be a lifting bridge (necessary to allow larger ships to pass upstream) or a tunnel. Nothwithstanding the greatly increased cost the Mayor has expressed a preference for the Link to be a tunnel and this is supported by Greenwich Council and the Port of London Authority. Progress is slow. A note received from Transport for London in March 2007 says: "We are awaiting a decision on the Thames Gateway Bridge (TGB), and although there is no time limit on the Secretary of State to make a decision following receipt of the Inspector's report on the Bridge , we are hopeful that this decision will be made soon.  Thames Gateway BridgeMore advanced is the bridge between Beckton and Thamesmead
offering a new link between residential and business areas north and south
of the river. The bridge is planned to be a dual carriageway road link
with a dedicated public transport link for the East London and Greenwich
Waterfront Transit schemes. On 15th December 2004 Newham Council agreed they were “minded” to grant planning permission and referred the matter to the Mayor of London. The decision of the Planning Board of the London Borough of Greenwich, which met the previous evening, was similar. However on 19th January 2005 the application was called-in by the Secretaries of State because they considered the applications "may conflict with national and regional policies on important matters". The decision on the application became therefore a matter for the Government following a pubic inquiry which started on 7th June 2005 and closed on 3rd May 2006. The report of the Inspector at the inquiry was submitted on 17th November 2006 but it was not until 25th July 2007 that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government announced that the public inquiry into this proposed new road was to be re-opened. A date for the resumed inquiry is awaited. [Decision Letter][Inquiry Report -.pdf 5.15mb][Statement by Mayor of London][TfL Statement] Page last modified:28th June 2008
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West Silvertown Village Community FoundationA Company limited by guarantee Registered in England
3016200
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The station at West Silvertown is elevated, connected
by stairs and lifts leading to a concourse area on the south side of North
Woolwich Road. A pedestrian crossing connects the station to Britannia
Village on the north side of the road. The station entrance is close
to local bus stops on North Woolwich Road. The journey
time from West Silvertown to Bank is about 19 minutes and to Canary Wharf
about 11 minutes.
